“He’s convinced he’ll be fit for the game,” Victory coach Ernie Merrick told au.fourfourtwo.com.

“Carlos is doing really well. When he found out about the Juve game of course he was so excited and even though he’s in a cast right now. I think he’ll do anything to play.”

The big stage in front of what could be a sellout Telstra Dome on May 30 will bring out the best in players like Hernandez – who already has a World Cup appearance to his name after Germany 2006.

“He certainly says he will be fit,” the Victory coach added with a smile.

However, the medial injury that deprived the Costa Rican of Asian Champions League football has been a telling blow to Merrick - as has the loss of Archie Thompson (injured on duty for the Socceroos in China in late March).

But the glamour Juventus game is giving players like Hernandez something exciting to aim for. And Hernandez may even be fit for the club’s final ACL game on May 21 against surprise packet Chonburi – an ideal lead in for the Juve test.

“The players are just so excited that a club as big as Juventus are on their way,” said Merrick .

“Of course they’ll be two or three players short due to Euro 2008, but still a world class side. [David] Trezeguet, [Pavel] Nedved, maybe even Alessandro Del Piero and Momo Sissoko. For the players and us, it’s very exciting.

“I don’t know if Carlos will be 100% match fit but he should be able to play some of the game.”

Let’s hope the Juventus friendly is not as controversial as the last time the grand old lady of Italian football played in Melbourne.

At the MCG in 1984, a so-called friendly against the Socceroos turned ugly after Aussie striker Marshall Soper was knocked out behind play.

With John Kosmina leading the Aussies from the front, the Socceroos refused to be intimidated and gave as good as they got in a spiteful encounter that ended 1-1.